Well it's still cold out....

*Picture is from the newly unveiled 'St. Giorgi, Dragon Slayer' statue in Freedom Square, Tbilisi. Freedom square used to be Lenin Square during the USSR*

Last month was the All Volunteer Conference where we got together for a 2 day conference. The 1st thing I associate PC conferences with are hot showers and a serious scrubdown! That, good food and a comfortable bed. The last night of the conference was a PC sponsored Thanksgiving dinner. They provided the turkeys and volunteers cooked the rest of the dishes. Not a bad start to the holidays.

Thanksgiving day happened to fall on a Georgian holiday, St. George's day. On this day, people took sheep and chickens to the church to sacrifice. To sum it up in 1 word: bloodbath. In Gori, people went to Gori Gvari which is on a mountain that overlooks the town and neighboring villages. This day is the last day the church is open until the 2nd St. George's day in May. Georgians like to have 2 of every holiday. St. George's day was also the 3rd anniversary of the Rose Revolution.

As far as school is concerned, things are...were picking up. Now that winter's approaching and it's getting darker earlier we've switched to winter school hours. That means that my already too short classes of 45min have been shortened to 35min. This sucks since they only meet twice a week. Not a lot of room for meaningful impact and productivity when they have just over an hour of English lessons a week. Luckily, my English clubs have been doing well.

In bigger, better news I finally switched host families. Since moving to Gori in August, there had never been a good fit between myself and the new host family. After getting the greenlight to move last month, my school director located a new family. Last week I moved in and all I can say is that I'm extremely happy. They're awesome people and though I've only been here a week, I've done more bonding with them than in the 3.5 months I lived with my previous host family. On a sidenote to all future PCVs I can't stress the importance of bringing lots of pictures to show from back home. They love seeing them and you'll need for the many rounds of 'show and tell' you'dl have with all the neighbors and relatives that come to see the new American. That and when you're tired of explaining all the pictures over and over, they can take over for you so all you have to do is sit and look American!

Example A: My first week with new HF
Thursday- Move-in day. Supra with the new host-parents. In order to establish myself as the hardy American I agree to drink cha-cha (homemade vodka). I go 1 for 1 with hdad. By 330 I am goooooooooooone.
Friday- School all day. Leave for Tiniskhidi to visit training host family for a birthday supra. Meet some new villagers who toast, toast and toast some more to the American. Gooooooone by 11pm.
Saturday- Eat supra leftovers. Host grand daddy is happily drinking his chacha and wants to talk with me. Forgets I only speak Georgian and proceeds to talk to me in Russian and Ossettian.
Sunday- 1 shot of cha-cha with hostmom over breakfast before I return to Gori. Once back, I drink another shot of cha-cha with new hfamily. Then we visit the neighbors who happen to have 2 boys who are my students. Do a round of show and tell with the pictures. Escape at 1045pm.
Monday- 1 shot of chacha for breakfast. School all day. At night, eat and meet more neighbors.Show and Tell round 2.
Tuesday- Free day!
Wednesday- Repeat of Monday
Thursday- School. 10min after returning home, I go with hmom to crash a wedding supra 2 floors down. No chacha...red wine! Meet about 20 neighbors and some of my students. Show and Tell round 3.
Friday- No school since it's the last day of the semester and the "real" teachers are tallying up grades. Don't even get me started on the grading policy here *cough*.
Saturday- Escape for the weekend and go to Tbilisi

My new place is located in the center of town in Stalin Park. I live in a flat (yes British english has infiltrated my vocab thanks to teaching here) on the 3rd floor. It's a nice 2room flat with no lift...but who needs a lift when going up 3 flights of stairs is the most excercise I'll get all winter?

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Now that winter is approaching and long johns and wool socks are permanently attached to the body, winter culture has set in. Winter culture? Well because there is no such things as central heating here, houses are warmed up by a pechi (small wooden stove). Pechis are usually found in 1 room in the house and that room transforms into a family bedroom, living room and sometimes a kitchen. Multi-purpose! For many homes, especially in the villages, all the beds are moved into the room and the family members all sleep there. That was quite the experience for me when I went to visit my first host family. In one bed it was me, my host siblings and host mom. Across the room were the grandparents and in the corner was the hostgreat grandfather. The symphony of snoring that ensued was almost too much, but I dare not stray outside the room and be greated by brutally cold temperatures. The sacrifices made for body heat.